The Known And The Unknown
by The Anonymous Forgot my name
Summary: TFP. Post-"Predatory". "Big and tough as they are, I forget how vulnerable Autobots can be. Bumblebee says she's not talking to him either. Not sure what she's going through - and I'm not asking - but she and Optimus took a couple long drives this week." - - Raf's Notes.


**This was originally just going to be just a single longish one-shot, but I couldn't figure out something needed towards the end, so I just decided to halve the story and post the second half once I've figured it out.**

**EDIT: Arrgh. I go over my stories a thousand times before I post, but there's always *that one error* that slips by. Or, in this case, quite a few. I think I got them all. (Maybe I should look into a beta.)  
**

**Transformers Prime belongs to Hasbro. Raf's Notes were once on The Hubworld's website, but have since been taken down.**

* * *

_Raf's Notes No. 8: Bugging Out_

_Jack and Arcee had a wicked time out in the forest this week. They were looking for an Energon signature, but turns out the blip was this super-creepy Decepticon called Airachnid. (Like "arachnid," which means spider.) She has eight limbs, spits webbing, and likes to hunt. Creepy! I wasn't there, so all I have to go on is what Jack said, but sounds like it got super hairy out there._

_He says he's never seen Arcee that afraid before, and it's cuz she has history with Airachnid from back on Cybertron. She wouldn't give him deets, but it must've been bad for a Bot that fierce to get that scared. And her Comm-Link wouldn't work, so she couldn't call the Base for backup._

_Jack ended up running, since Airachnid was actually hunting him! She travels the universe looking for different species to add to her "collection." Kinda like a big game hunter. I think hunting's gross enough already, without humans being the prey. Too bad she didn't land her ship in the middle of one of those controlled hunts, where people "hunt" captive lions and tigers. Yeah, that's a fair fight._

_Anyway, Jack was pretty swift. He tried setting traps, which didn't work, but then he actually went into her spaceship and started a fire in her ship's leaking engine thrusters. That messed her up just enough to let Arcee get up on her. Then Airachnid just fled. Took off. Adios._

_Arcee's been quiet since they got back. Big and tough as they are, I forget how vulnerable Autobots can be. Bumblebee says she's not talking to him either. Not sure what she's going through - and I'm not asking - but she and Optimus took a couple long drives this week._

_OTOH, Jack's all puffed up now, cuz Arcee finally started calling him her "partner." Miko keeps reminding him he's just a kid, but seeing what he just went through, I'm OK with letting him feel whatever he wants. Not that he wants to know what I think._

_Anyway, I feel like we're all partners here._

* * *

The groundbridge opened, and from its green vortex emerged Cybertronian and human, as observed by the Bot manning the controls.

"Well?" Ratchet demanded. "Did you find the deposit?"

Arcee looked away from the medic only to find her commander's eyes, patient and watchful, from where he stood near Ratchet.

"Optimus, can we talk?" Arcee asked quietly, earning confused looks from everyone else gathered in the room- -aside from the human standing next to her.

Optimus frowned and nodded his head slightly. He waited for the smaller Cybertronian to pass him, then followed her out of the room as the others watched on.

"What's wrong with her?" Miko demanded from where she leaned on the railing. Behind her, Raf tossed his game controller onto the couch beside him, looking at Jack quizzically. Behind them both stood Bulkhead and Bumblebee, also looking at him. Jack, unsure, glanced up at Ratchet, but the medic was staring after Optimus and Arcee, with a look on his face that made the young human think that the old bot was seriously considering muttering to himself.

"Arcee and I encountered an old enemy of hers while out there," Jack finally said. "The signal we found was a crashed ship, and it was disabling the comm signals." This caught the attention of Ratchet, who looked from the hallway to observe the conversation.

"Arcee has an enemy?" Miko exclaimed, her eyes alight, before anyone else could ask questions. "Like an arch-enemy?"

"Uh...I guess," Jack said, rubbing the back of his neck before bounding up the stairs to be at her level.

"Was there an epic showdown of Good versus Evil, Blue versus...whatever color this Con was? Hey, what's this new Con's name, anyway?" Miko asked excitedly.

"Airachnid."

The reaction was immediate. Bumblebee beeped in alarm, starting to go after after where Arcee had left with Optimus, before stopping himself. Bulkhead's mouth fell open for a moment or two before his face took on the look of the enraged. Ratchet's eyes pierced Jack's own with a look that was terrifyingly concerned, and a little afraid.

"Airachnid? Airachnid is _here_? On Earth?" he demanded, his gaze darting from Jack to the hallway and back again. Before Jack could reply, Miko interjected.

"Eeew. 'Arachnid'? Is that like a SpiderCon? Please tell me she squished i-"

"Miko..." Bulkhead said softly, causing the girl to look up in confusion.

"What?"

"Now's not-" but whatever he said next was drowned out by the roar of engines and those gathered watched as a blue motorcycle and a red Peterbilt sped out of the base and on to the open road without any word on where they were going. The silence in their wake was deafening.

But then Raf spoke for the first time since the scouting mission returned, hopping off the couch and walking over to Jack. "Is Arcee okay?"

"I..." He didn't know how to answer that. He looked up at the medic once more. "Ratchet, what happened between Arcee and Airachnid?"

Bulkhead started to answer when Ratchet held up his hand for the Wrecker to desist. The medic gave a heavy sigh that seemed to take all of the tension and energy out of him. "That is something only Arcee is allowed to share with you," he said sternly, impressing on Jack the importance of what he was telling him. "_If_ she so chooses to."

Jack swallowed nervously but nodded. "I understand." And he did.

With that, Ratchet nodded in return and left to go work on some machinery on the other side of the room. Bumblebee chirped to Rafael that he would be back in a moment, then followed Ratchet. Bulkhead stayed where he was, listening in as Miko dragged the two boys back to the couch and demanded that Jack tell her everything about what happened in the woods. The large Autobot stayed silent during the story, but Jack noticed his hands curling into fists every once in a while. Miko pressed him for the answers Jack didn't have, but Bulkhead took Ratchet's words to spark.

* * *

The two were silent as they raced down the empty highway, side by side. The sun wasn't quite yet setting over the desert as they kicked up sand and dirt and the odd bit of torn-up asphalt in their wakes. Arcee hadn't said a word since they left the base, and Optimus wouldn't force her to. The important thing was that she just get away from everyone for the moment, the need to keep her composer intact outweighing the fact that the other Autobots would never judge her.

Optimus was mindful of the smaller vehicle's presence next to him, waiting for some sign or indication that she was ready. It never came. Instead, he only noticed as she slammed on her brakes and transformed, there in the middle of the road.

He quickly followed suit, walking towards her. "Arcee?"

But she wasn't there anymore. She stood on the road, shaking, but she was back on Cybertron, lost to him.

He didn't touch her, he didn't hold her, he didn't try to shake her back into reality or slap reality back into her. Optimus knelt down and looked into her far-away optics and repeated her name continuously, gently, and let her know he was here and she was safe. For how long this went on, Optimus didn't keep a record, but eventually her eyes met his and they recognized him.

"Optimus?" she whispered, uncertain.

"I'm here, Arcee. You're safe."

"I know." And she almost smiled before her face contorted into pain once more. "She can't be back," she whispered, looking down at her hands, grasping and ungrasping nothing. "How can she be back?"

Optimus didn't say anything, didn't move or make a gesture, but one fleeting glance into his optics told Arcee the invitation was there and she took it, collapsing onto his frame. He wrapped his arms around her and held her, saying nothing more but letting it be clear that he was there, that he wouldn't leave.

It wasn't until the sun had set that Optimus heard another vehicle approaching. Arcee had stopped shaking but he still held onto her, and it was only with distant roar of engines did he turn away from her, telescoping his vision until he could see a small parade of Harley-Davidsons cresting a not-so-distant hill. Arcee stiffened, hearing them too, and looked at Optimus questioningly. Silently, he stood and took her hand, leading her off the highway and into a nearby ravine. He had to crouch down to be completely hidden, but they had the cover of darkness on their side.

The roar became deafening, even to the Cybertronians. Arcee winced and shouted- -completely unafraid of being heard- -"I always thought Harleys were obnoxious!"

Optimus looked at her, and there was the hint of a smile on his face as the last of the motorcycles passed. It wasn't until the din completely faded into the night that Arcee spoke again.

"We need to go back. I need to take Jack home."

Optimus analyzed the soldier before him. Arcee looked exhausted as she rested her helm against the rock, and she still hadn't been checked out by Ratchet after her battle.

"I'll take Jack home," he decided. "You need to get some rest."

"No!" Arcee exclaimed, shocking them both. She recovered herself, and started again. "I'm his guardian, it's my job. I'll recharge in his garage."

"Arcee..." he began doubtfully, but she cut him off.

"She threatened him, Optimus," she said quietly, not meeting his optics.

He regarded her a moment further, then softly hummed, nodding his consent. Wordlessly, he pulled himself out of the ravine and made to assist her out as well, only to have his help rejected as she scrambled up the rock with minor difficulty. They transformed into their vehicle modes and sped back to the base, just as silent as they were on the drive out.

* * *

The base had been mostly quiet since Jack finished his tale, save for the soft music of the video game Miko was playing. Raf had left with Bumblebee a few minutes before, Ratchet was tinkering with a few things, Bulkhead was content to watch Miko play, and Jack was all but asleep on the other side of the couch. He perked up immediately when he heard the sound of engines approaching, however, and hopped off the couch and went to the railing to greet them. Optimus transformed once he was in the control room, but Arcee remained in vehicle mode.

"Ready to go, partner?" she asked, sounding as normal as ever, save for the new title she bestowed upon Jack.

"Uh...yeah. Hold on," he said, looking around the platform to find his discarded survival kit and cellphone on the coffee table. Pocketing them, he tried not to grin too broadly at the mention of his new status. He saw Miko make a face out of the corner of his eye, and from behind him he heard Bulkhead say, "We should probably get going too, Miko."

"Aww," the girl pouted, but that was all she said as she joined Jack as they ran down the stairs.

"I'm ready," Jack said as he pulled on his helmet and situated himself on the bike. Miko got into Bulkhead's passenger seat with a teasing "See you tomorrow, Doc Bot!", making the medic grumble in annoyance. The two guardians peeled out of the base and into the night. When their engine noises faded, Ratchet turned to Optimus.

"How is Arcee?"

Optimus turned to his old friend- -and in that moment, they both realized he didn't have an answer.

* * *

The ride home was quiet as well, but that didn't matter. For their charges' amusement, the motorcycle and the SUV raced until they reached town limits, at which point Bulkhead pulled away towards another road. Miko and Jack waved goodbye, and Arcee continued down the main road.

When they pulled up to Jack's house, Arcee immediately took notice of the empty driveway. "Where's your mom?" she asked, just a little too sharply.

"She called while you were out. Some accident downtown, she's going to be late tonight."

"Oh."

She pulled into the garage. Jack hopped off and removed his helmet. He looked at her.

"Arcee? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she said, but as the garage door closed, she transformed and hunched over in the confined space. She looked at him. "Are you okay, though?"

"I...yeah. Why?" he almost stuttered, taken aback.

"Today was pretty intense. I just..." She trailed off, unsure how to put it in words.

He understood. He smiled. "It was. But we made it, right?"

Arcee smirked. "Right."

"'Night, Arcee!"

"Goodnight, Jack."


End file.
